Chinese New Year is celebrated in London in style. On the weeks before the main event, normally held on a Sunday, Chinatown streets in London’s West End are adorned with hundreds of red paper lanterns. The celebrations start with a parade through Central London with floats, lion dances and the sound of firecrackers going off…

Mayfield Lavender Farm is located in Banstead in the county of Surrey, a short drive (less than 20 miles) from London and well connected by public transport. The easiest way to get to the site without driving is by travelling from Central London (Victoria Station) to West Croydon train station and board the 166 bus which…

Borghetto sul Mincio is a hamlet in the region of Veneto in Northern Italy. It has been awarded with the title of one of the most picturesque villages in Italy and it is easy to see why: situated, as the name implies, on the river Mincio which flows from Lake Garda into the river Po, the village consists of…

A pleasant riverside walk from Vauxhall Bridge to Tower Bridge, will give the opportunity to walk past all the bridges in Central London and visit many of the attractions along the way. The first building to see next to Vauxhall Bridge on the Albert Embankment is the MI6 Building, seen in many movies including the…

Every year, between March and May, people from all over the world travel to Keukenhof in Holland to admire its beautiful tulip displays. Scattered around 32 hectares, there are more than 800 varieties of tulips in many colors arranged in beautiful patterns all around the park. In addition to the open-air displays, more flower arrangements…

Mention to anyone the Amalfi Coast and immediately images of villages on cliffs, sunny beaches and good Italian food come to mind! A stretch of land in the region of Campania in the South of Italy, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Italy. The international airport at Naples is the gateway for visitors…

Lille in Northern France is often bypassed on the Eurostar route from London to Paris. But people alighting at Lille-Europe station will discover a city with a lot to see and do. Right outside the station the sculpture “Les tulipes de Shangri-La” by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, is a nice welcome to Lille. It…

The City of London, is also known as the Square Mile as it occupies an area of just over one square mile. A busy financial center during the week, it is almost deserted at the weekend, probably the best time to visit without the crowd of office workers running around. There are many buildings to…

Hampton Court Palace, located in the county of Surrey, can be reached by train from Waterloo Station in Central London in just over half an hour; in summer boats travel to Hampton Court all the way from Westminster Pier but depending on the tide, the trip can take up to 4 hours so maybe not…

Leeds Castle is not as the name would suggest anywhere near the city of Leeds but it is in fact in Kent not far from Maidstone. Advertised as “the loveliest castle in the world” it makes for a perfect day trip from London. Connected by train from London Victoria, it takes just over an hour…

Murano and Burano are two islands of the Venetian Lagoon and can be easily included on the itinerary on a trip to Venice. Many tourists spend just one day in the city as part of a tour of Italy or as one of the stops on a cruise around the Med but, people who have…

The Sky Garden opened in 2015 at the top of the building at 20 Fenchurch Street (commonly referred to as the Walkie Talkie for its curious shape) in the City of London. Although access to the garden is free, tickets need to be booked in advance online. After going through airport-style security checks (including photo ID…